


Don’t Close Your Eyes

by starksgoatee



Category: Rhett and Link
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet, Cheating, Drunk Singing, F/M, Infidelity, Karaoke, M/M, mention of christy/link, mention of rhink, not exactly rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-07-16 10:09:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16083950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starksgoatee/pseuds/starksgoatee
Summary: Jessie can’t figure out a way to tell Rhett that she knows he’s cheating on her, until she does.





	Don’t Close Your Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a little ficlet that’s been in my head for the longest time. The ending is not very strong but again, this is just something that was jamming my writing gears, so I’m not sure how well it will do but I hope you all enjoy it anyways! 
> 
> \- L

She’s known for a while. How could she not know when Rhett never looks at her like that -the way he looks at him. He looks at her like he loves her, like he knows her. He looks at him like he aches for him, like he wants him so badly it hurts. He might have married her, but his heart belongs to him. Rhett’s always belonged to Link. That’s just the way it is. 

They’re in a high end little Los Angeles karaoke bar and the guy on the stage is doing a terrible cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way”. Rhett’s left hand is on her knee just a little towards the inside but the right hand is of course; texting Link. She keeps her eyes on the man and when his song is over, Rhett gets up and sings one of his Yacht rock songs he likes, wooing the tipsy crowd like he knows how to do. Everyone loves Rhett. Some people just seem to love him too much. She watches her husband on stage his eyebrows knitting together in concentration and he smiles at her through the crowd when his eyes open. She wants to cry. Of course she knows what Rhett’s been texting Link. Of course she knows that a minute ago Rhett was telling Link how much he misses him, how he cannot wait to see him on Monday. She knows. She just doesn’t want to let him go. When the song ends, Rhett comes down and enthusiastically encourages Jessie to go up and sing until she gives in and gets up, shyly making her way up through the pool of chairs. She clears her throat and whispers the name of the song to the sound guy and the instrumentals start. “I know you loved him, a long time ago  
Even now in my arms, you still want him I know  
But darling it’s time, your memories die  
When you hold me tonight, don't close your eyes.” Rhett’s excited smile due to seeing his wife up on the stage turns into a look of confusion then dread. He knows exactly what Jessie is trying to say. 

“Don't close your eyes, let it be me don't pretend it's him, in some fantasy, darling just once, let yesterday go and you'll find more love than you'll ever know just hold me tight, when you love me tonight and don't close your eyes.” Rhett’s eyes meet Jessie’s and she can feel the tears threatening to spill from her eyes, but she’s to embarrassed to let herself cry. Instead she keeps singing. As the song comes to an end, she leaves the stage and makes her way out of the bar, watching Rhett follow out of the corner of her eye. 

Rhett is in no rush. He gets into the drivers seat and Jessie into the passengers. They sit in unbearable silence. “How long have you known?” He asks.

“Oh Jesus Christ, Rhett. What do you mean how long have I known?” Jessie quickly turns and looks at him in disbelief and the genuine look of confusion in his face makes her actually want to laugh. “He’s all you ever talk about he’s all you ever think about, you grew up with him, you’re growing old with him, you want half of your ashes spread at the cape fear river where you used to spend time at when you were both young, he moved states to be with you, you make sacrifices for each other. You’re just married to me because you were a nice conservative little southern boy who followed tradition and got stuck in the strict loop of growing up, going to school, and getting married to a nice conservative little southern girl. I’m not mad because you’ve been cheating on me since before we even got married. I’m not mad that this whole marriage is a lie, a picture to hide what’s really going on. I’m sad. I’m sad because I love you so much I’m willing to play dumb and have you hold my hand and kiss me and tell me you love me with the same hands and lips and voice you give to Link. Link has you. He has your whole heart, your whole soul. What do I have? A certificate and a ring. I’m sad because I’m tying you down. Because it was too late for you when you realized that divorce isn’t a bad thing and being yourself is good and accepting that your whole heart and your whole soul is for him. I’m sad that you wish your life was different. You don’t say it and you aren’t ungrateful about it but I know how you feel. I know you feel trapped. And I’m sorry that what I give you isn’t enough. Please please all I’m begging for is for you to kiss me sometimes and to look at me sometimes the way you look at him. “ Jessie no longer feels like laughing, her heavy dry sobs are now wet and breathless. Rhett sits there stunned and he sighs. 

“I’m sorry.” He says softly and his hand reaches out to her and Jessie takes it, holding it close to her cheek, kissing the inside of his wrist. 

“I know.”

“I love him.” Jessie holds on tighter. 

“I know.”

They sit in the car for what feels like an eternity, Jessie crying and Rhett in silence, driving them back to their beautiful home where their children and life await. They go back to their regular lives and it isn’t spoken of again. When eventually Rhett and Jessie get a divorce and Christy and Link separate, everyone knows why but no one wants to mention it. Sometimes though, late at night when Jessie is all alone. She still hopes that one day Rhett will change his mind and look at her the way he looks at him.


End file.
